The Albany Classic delivers tight finishes and tough play on the Albany Golf Club green

The Albany Classic tournament delivered strong competition and exciting golf among the close to 200 participants at Albany Golf Club earlier this month.

Competitors came from across WA to take part in one of Albany’s main golf events over the March long weekend, with tight scoring a feature.

In the men’s competition, Joondalup’s Tom Botica claimed the men’s overall title, finishing with a total of 147.

Paul Dwyer secured second place with 152 after solid performances across the weekend.

On Saturday, the 18-hole gross winner was Brendan Allanby from Melville Glades (74), and the net winner was Nathan Willmott from Tambellup (40).

Albany came in strong on Sunday, winning both categories with Ian Guildford taking out gross winner (76) and Gabriel Gao claiming victory as the net winner (39) in the 18 holes.

In the women’s competition, it was a very close finish with Mt Lawley’s Ruby Cotton and Denmark’s Sharon Dawson tied on 151, forcing the pair to a three-hole play-off to decide the winner.

Cotton took the women’s title after the pair went head to head in a tightly fought last battle.

Donna Richardson from Araluen was the 18-hole net winner on Saturday with 33 points, and Kerry Lane from Albany was the winner on Sunday with 35 points.

Albany Golf Club manager Dan Northcott said the competition proved challenging for participants due to the weather conditions endured over the weekend.

“Weather was rough on the first day which tested golfers but the Sunday was better,” he said.

He said the course ultimately defeated the players as no one was able to break par.

“It was the first time in years that that no one broke par so the course won the battle against golfers,” he said.

Despite the challenging conditions Northcott said the weekend was highly successful.